Either of these events would precipitate a political crisis of a scale not seen since 1974. If occurring close together, they might precipitate a social and constitutional crisis of a scale not seen in this or the last century.

Recent Publications:

Study examining the cultural and institutional drivers of civil-military friction, the doctrinal limitations of the military options formulation process, and the relationship between group friction and presidential decision-making. Proposes a series of reforms predicated on a close reading of 70 years of U.S. military history and interviews with former cabinet-level officials, COCOMs, and Joint Staff planners.

Social media has altered the nature of war. The viral propaganda of the self-declared Islamic State, Russian disinformation campaigns, and Chinese cyber-nationalism are all indications of a more fundamental shift in conflict—a revolution that threatens to catch U.S. policymakers and social media companies off guard. With P.W. Singer. (The Atlantic)

Feature article detailing the online operations of the Islamic State and the diverse set of actors who seek to stop them. Also explores the nature of effective viral propaganda and the exploitation of communication platforms by terror groups through history. With P.W. Singer. (Popular Science)

Consideration of complications for U.S. defense planning in Syria following commencement of Russian air strikes and expansion of Russian ground presence in the region. (Defense in Depth, Council on Foreign Relations)

Reflection on the fourteenth anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001. Argues that the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force must be revisited and revised. (Defense in Depth, Council on Foreign Relations)